Automatic fire-extinguisher.



G. 0. LBUEGREN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. I915.

n0 11 9 l L 2 m M n Au t H e lu a D1 WITNESSES:

GUNNAR O. 'LIUEGKEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC FIBE-EXTINGU'ISHER.

Sp eciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed November 4, 1915. SerialRo. 59,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, GUNNAR O. LILJE- GREN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Fire-Extinguisher, of which thefollowing is a specification.

.This invention has reference to automatic fire. extinguishers.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved link for use inconnection with angular strut levers of an automatic fire extinguisher,and consists essentially of a number of plates adapted to engage withthe levers and separated or spaced by balls seated in suitabledepressions or recesses formed for their reception in the plates, saidplates also being provided with suitable flanges adapted to engage andhold the solder whereby the plates are united.

In the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated one embodimentof the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic fireextinguisher nozzle equipped with my present invention. Fig. 2 is asectional view. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the two platescomprising the links separated from each other.

The nozzle 1 is provided with the usual yoke 2 and with a closure 3. Theyoke supports an adjustable screw 4 in axial alinement with the nozzleand angular levers 5 for the ends of their strut-forming arms bearingagainst the closure and the screw, so that by holding said levers inproper position the closure will be retained against the nozzle.

My present invention comprises a novel form of link for engaging andholding the levers together.

The link comprises two plates of duplicate construction, of which theplate 6 is the upper plate and the plate 7 is the lower plate. Eachplate is provided with an extension 8 having a hole therethrough adaptedto receive the end of the corresponding lever 5 as will be understood byreference to Figs. 1 and 2. Each plate is also provided with two arcuateflanges 9 at the sides of the extensions 8 and the flanges 9 of eachplate extend across the end of the adjacent plate when the two areassembled in the form of the complete link. Each plate is furtherprovided with two laterally extending arms 10 adjacent to and below theflanges 9, said arms 10 being formed on the side edges of the plates.Thus the upper plate 6 is formed with the flanges 9 and the arms 10adjacent to its upper end and the lower plate 7 is formed with similarflanges .9 and arms 10 ad acent to its lower end, so that the lowerport1on of the upper plate rests between the arms 10 on the lower plate,and the upper port1on of the lower plate rests between the arms 10 onthe upper plate. Each of said plates 1s pressed or swaged to formconcave recesses 11 in its inner face, and in the specific embodimentshown there are four of such recesses in each plate, though it will beunderstood that the number may be varied as desired.

The recesses in the two plates are arranged opposite each other and areadapted to receive the balls 12 which seat within the recesses in thetwo plates and constitute ball bearings for holding the plates apart andto facilitate their separation when the solder becomes fused under theinfluence of heat. The balls 12 are of such size that they hold theplates out of contact with each other so that there is an interveningspace in which a quantity of solder 13 is placed for the purpose ofassisting in holding the plates together in theform of a continuouslink. Solder 14 is also placed in engagement with the flanges 9 and theend of the adjacent link, thus positively retaining the two platestogether. Since the soldler 14 positively prevents lateral movement ofthe two plates away from each other, it is obvious that there can be norelative longitudinal movement of the plates for the reason that theballs 12 are seated in opposing recesses 11 and constitute positivelocking elements to prevent relative longitudinal movement of eitherplate with respect to the other until the solder 14 becomes broken .orfused. However, when the solder 14 is broken or fused longitudinalmovement or separation of the two plates under the influence of thepressure of water within the nozzle exerted upon the levers 5, isfacilitated. As a result of this construction the balls 12 not onlyserve as looking elements to prevent relative longitudinal movement ofthe two plates when the solder is in position, but they also serve asball hearings to facilitate such longitudinal movement when the solderbecomes fused, thus securing the separation of the link members underthe pressure exerted by the water.

The use of a number of the balls 12 suitably spaced to provide properbearings for the plates and locking connections at different pointsserves different functional purpcses than can be attained by the use ofrollers or other similar elongated locking members, since the ballsbeing spherical are capable of movement in every direction and do notbecome wedged or locked and prevent Separation of the link plates afterthe solder has fused.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a link comprising two duplicateplates, each of which is provided with an extension at one end, flangeson each plate at the sides of said extension, a plurality of concavedrecesses formed in the inner surface of each of said plates near theupper and lower ends thereof, said recesses being oppositely disposed,spherical bodies placed in said recesses and holding said plates equallyspaced from end to end, and solder interposed between the ends of saidplates and said flanges preventing spreading of said plates.

2. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a link for holding the strutlevers in position comprising two duplicate plates having extensions ontheir upper and lower ends respectively, said extensions having holesfor the purpose described, flanges integral with eachlate at the sidesof said extension, a plura ity of concaved recesses formed in the innersurface of each of said plates near the upper and lower ends thereof,said recesses in the two plates being opposite each other,

spherical bodies placed in said matching recesses holding said platesequally spaced from end to end, and solder interposed between the endsof said plates respectively and said flanges preventing said plates fromseparating.

3. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a link of the character describedcomprising two duplicate plates, each of which has an extension on oneend provided with an opening, flanges integral with each plate at thesides of said extension, solder between said flanges and the adjacentend of the other plate, a plurality of concaved recesses in the innersurface of each of said plates, the re cesses in each of said platesmatching and being opposite the recesses in the other plates, sphericalbodies placed in said recesses holding said plates equally spaced fromend to end, arms on the side edges of each plate extending across theside edges of the adjacent plate, and solder placed between said flangesand the adjacent side edges of the other plate holding said plates fromrelative lateral movement.

4. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a link for the purpose mentionedcomprising two duplicate plates each having an extension at one end,flanges at the sides of said extension extending below the plane of theend of the adjacent plate, a plurality of concaved recesses formed inthe inner surface of each of the plates, spherical bodies GUNNAR' O.LILJEGREN.

Witnesses N. G. BUTLER, JOHN D. RIPPEY.

